Friendship, Loyalty and Love
by cdub77
Summary: Valentine's Day is fast approaching, and Tommy has a plan... Tommy/Eva,


_**A/N:**__ A day late for this! I wasn't around my computer yesterday, thus the delay in adding this._

_This is a follow up and in the same "canon" as my previous fic about Tommy and Eva. There's allusion to their trip to Italy over New Year's and that "glimpse" into Tommy and Eva's world is currently in progress…but I wanted to post this VDay glimpse now. _

_This fic is completely fluffy, no real plot or case…just some happiness in Tommy and Eva's world! _

_I did a quick beta myself; any mistakes are my own._

* * *

**Friendship, Loyalty and Love**

"Eva?"

"Yeah?" she replied, turning on her side to look at the man she was in love with. The room was dark, but she could still make out his handsome features as Tommy laid next to her.

"You know what next week is, right?" he asked, turning to his side so that they were lying face to face, practically no space in between their bodies.

"You mean the commercialized holiday that Hallmark, chocolate companies, jewellers and florists want you to take part in?" she said teasingly as she ran her hand against the side of his face; his week old stubble tickling her.

Tommy kept a serious look on his face, reaching over to tuck a strand of red hair that had fallen over her face.

"That may be true, but it still will be our first Valentine's Day together…I want to make sure I do everything properly."

"You're serious?" she asked, nudging herself closer to him. She rested her head in her favourite spot right in the nook of his shoulder and tucked the rest of her body right into Tommy's warmth.

"Yes, I've never really been in a relationship where things like Valentine's Day mattered…so you need to tell me what you want me to do," he explained quietly, placing a kiss at the crown of her head and holding her tight against him.

Eva took a moment to collect her thoughts before replying.

Since returning back to The Hague from Italy and their holidays in early January, things between them had been quite a whirlwind. Having Tommy with her over the New Year's to deal with her family issues had completely clarified to her how important he was in her life. She couldn't have imagined going through those emotional ups and downs without him there by her side. She was also happy that he could meet her extended family; and took some solace that everyone seemed to love him just as much.

One of her biggest fears when they got back to their "normal lives" was that they would realize their little bubble over the holidays was just that—a bubble. And that trying to make their relationship work in their day to day life too daunting and difficult. But, much to her own surprise, things were actually quite easy. Everything just fell in to place and they soon found a very comfortable balance between their work and personal lives—the rest of the team obviously knew there was a change in their relationship; and while they weren't overtly telling the world they were a couple, they were both the happiest they've ever been.

"I have no expectations Tommy. We don't need the world to tell us there's a day we need to celebrate our love. All the little things every day is what really matters."

"Are you sure? I want to make the day special for you, for us."

"Well, lets just hope we're not working. If we aren't, we'll do something nice together. Don't worry about it Tommy."

"Ok. You'll tell me if you change your mind about making plans?"

"I will."

She leaned up and placed a warm kiss on a spot on his neck that she knew he liked. She inhaled the scent that simply was Tommy, and closed her eyes.

"Buonanotte Bella," he whispered, pulling the covers up to cover them. He held her close, feeling her breathing even out and closed his eyes.

She may not want any grand gestures next week, but he was still determined to do something special for her.

* * *

"Arabela, wait up!" Tommy shouted, running up the stairs towards the elevator.

She reached out and held the elevator door open, waiting for Tommy to enter.

"Thanks Seeger."

"Anytime."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"You know Valentine's Day is coming up in a few days, right?"

"Sure," she replied as they stepped off the elevator and made their way towards the carpark.

"Well, you know it's going to be our first Valentine's Day…you know, for Eva and me."

"Uh huh," Arabela said, enjoying watching Tommy squirm a bit. "What about it?"

"Do you think I need to go all out? Fancy restaurant, flowers, chocolates, gifts?"

Arabela had to hold back her laughter, recognizing the seriousness of Tommy's question.

Ever since she joined the team over a year ago, she and Tommy have become great friends. Maybe it had to do with the case that threw them together when Hickman was being framed for murder; or maybe it had to do with the fact that they enjoyed their frank conversations and were able to speak candidly and banter upon a multitude of topics. Whatever it was, Arabela was partial to the Irishman, and was ecstatic and happy for him and Eva.

"Do you think she would want that?"

"I've asked her…and I don't think so. You know Eva…"

"So if you know what she wants, then why are you asking me?"

"I just feel that I need to do something special. Make it memorable."

"Tommy, you know Eva better than anyone else. I think you should go with your gut instinct and do what will make her happy—not what you think you should be doing."

"I can do that. Something thoughtful, something that Eva will like."

"Exactly. Don't overthink it Tommy, she'll like whatever you come up with because you'll be together. I haven't seen her happier than the last few months, and I know you have a large part in that."

"Thanks Arabela, I appreciate your advice."

"Anytime."

"I do have an idea of what I want to do…" Tommy admitted. "And I could use your help…"

Arabela grinned, happy that Tommy was reaching out to her like this. "Tell me what I can do, Romeo!"

* * *

Eva awoke to what sounded like the buzzing of her doorbell. Glancing at the clock on her night table, she noticed that it was close to 10 in the morning. It was unlike her to sleep in, even on a weekend, but the previous night the team had returned from a case in Sweden. By the time she made it back to her apartment, it had been close to 1 in the morning.

Throwing the warm comforter off her, she sat up and grabbed her robe. She ran her fingers through her dishevelled hair as she padded through her apartment to the front door.

Peering through the peephole, she did not see anyone standing in her hallway. Curious, she swung open her door and was greeted by a surprising sight.

Leaning down, she picked up the beautifully wrapped basket sitting on her threshold. She walked back into her apartment with the basket, placing it down on her coffee table and untying the large red bow and ribbons that held the cellophane wrapping in place.

Slowly, she started pulling out the contents of the basket: a cute teddy bear holding a heart, a dark blue box of _Baci_ chocolates, a bottle of bubble bath, a jar of candy hearts and a wooden framed photo.

She smiled at the photo in the frame—it was taken at the Vittoria's New Year's Eve party at her family home in Grosseto. The two of them were dressed up and beaming at the camera as they rang in a new year of possibilities together.

She noticed there was card taped to the side of the basket and quickly pulled it out of the red envelope. It was a simple card with hearts on the front. She flipped it open and read the neatly hand written line.

_**Will you be my Valentine?**_

She warmed at the sentiment behind the gifts, obviously recognizing that that Tommy had put some thought into it. Turning towards her kitchen to start a pot of coffee, her doorbell buzzed again.

Peering through the peephole for the second time in the last few minutes, she grinned when she saw who was standing in the hallway.

She swung open the door again, grinning at her visitor.

Tommy stood at her door, holding a takeout tray from her favourite Italian bakery and a bouquet of roses. He was clean shaven and was sporting a huge grin on his handsome face.

"Good morning bella, Happy Valentine's Day!" Tommy said enthusiastically, thrusting the flowers towards her. He leaned over and gave Eva a searing kiss. She reached around him to hold him tight, allowing her lips to linger on his a little longer.

Pulling back, she grabbed Tommy's free hand and pulled him into her place, closing the front door behind her.

"Did I wake you? I wasn't sure if you were up yet and I couldn't wait any longer…" Tommy asked as Eva walked into her kitchen, looking for a vase for the roses.

"I was, but it's ok...this is a nice surprise, thank you," she said, taking a sip of her black coffee.

"I was worried that we wouldn't be home today," Tommy admitted.

"I'm sure a Swedish Valentine's Day would have been just fine."

"I thought you weren't big on Valentine's Day?"

"I'm not…but I'm still a girl, and like being thought of!" Eva replied with a laugh. "Thank you for the presents, they're perfect."

They finished up their coffees and pastries, chatting comfortably. Tommy told Eva that his mother had called him earlier that morning. The phone calls between mother and son had become more frequent, which was great progress since Christmas.

"I think you should change, I have a busy day planned for us," Tommy informed Eva, "I mean, I love your outfit right now," gesturing to her robe, "but I can't have other men falling over themselves if you go out in public like this."

"Always a charmer, aren't you?" Eva said with a grin. "OK, I'll be as fast as I can…" she said, giving him another peck on the lips before turning to head back to her bedroom.

"Take your time!" Tommy shouted, watching her disappear down the hallway.

He had a feeling it would be an another hour before Eva was ready, so he grabbed his cellphone out of his pocket and fired off a few quick texts.

Hopefully, everything today would go off without a hitch.

* * *

Tommy was not kidding when he said he had a full day planned. The team had been based in The Hague for close to three years now, and Eva would be the first to admit that she hadn't really seen the sights of the city.

Since leaving her apartment a little before noon, they had embarked on quite a whirlwind of activities. Hopping on Tommy's motorcycle, they had raced off to Scheveningen where they took in the beautiful waterscapes of the seaside resort.

They had a nice lunch in a café right by the water before strapping on ice skates and joining the swarms of other couples and families skating on the rink. Eva had grown up skating in the winters with her family and had to help Tommy out a little before he quickly got the hang of it. Tommy joked that his Traveller upbringing did not equate to ice skating in the winters.

After spending the afternoon skating and outside, they had warmed up over hot chocolate at a coffee shop before heading over to the landmark Kurhaus Hotel late in the afternoon.

Tommy had Eva's hand clasped tightly with his as they made their way up the grand front steps and into the lobby of the hotel.

"Our last stop for the day," Tommy said, leading her towards the guest elevators.

"Last stop?" Eva asked, watching as Tommy produced a key card from his pocket and swipe it inside the elevator to hit the button for the 12th floor.

"I know you said you didn't want anything over the top, but I called in a favour."

They got off the elevator and he led her down the hallway.

"Remember the Belgian businessman Josef we helped out before Christmas?"

"Sure, the break-in."

"Lets just say his family goes way back with this hotel and he was more than happy to help me out tonight."

Swiping the key thru the lock, Tommy opened the door to a beautifully appointed suite.

"This is ours for the night."

Eva looked around the room, taking it all in. They had a beautiful view of the water as the sun was slowly starting to set in the distance.

"We have a reservation downstairs for dinner in a little over an hour," Tommy revealed.

"Dinner. Here, downstairs," Eva repeated, fully confused. "That can't be."

"It can't? Why not?" Tommy asked, confused. Maybe he had gone too overboard? Crap.

"No, I mean…look at me! There's no way I can go to dinner downstairs dressed like this," she said, waving at her jeans and sweater combo. "And I obviously didn't come prepared for a night out! I don't have anything with me…and we rode your bike here! How can I possibly—" Eva rambled on, getting more and more worked up.

Tommy placed his index finger to silence her. He gave her a quick kiss before walking over to the closet and opening the door.

"I've got it covered. I came by early this morning to check-in and drop off a few things," he explained.

Eva walked over to take a closer look, and noticed that her small rolling travel suitcase was placed on top of the luggage rack. It was the one that she had brought when the team had gone to Sweden a few days earlier. Realizing that she must have not taken it with her the night before when they left the airport, she turned back towards Tommy.

"Very sneaky, Tommy," she said, "But I'm pretty sure I didn't pack anything for that trip that would be appropriate for dinner tonight."

"Again, I planned ahead. I picked up something for you tonight—I hope you like it."

"You picked me up something—to wear?" Eva asked, trying to picture Tommy doing such thing.

"OK, maybe I had some help from Arabela," he admitted sheepishly. "Here, I hope you like it," he said, reaching into the closest and grabbing a hanging garment bag.

Eva took the bag from him, zipping it open to take a glimpse inside.

"There's some extra stuff in the bathroom that you can use…" Tommy explained.

"Alright then, I'll be right out…" she said over her shoulder, heading into the ensuite bathroom.

And, for the second time that day; Tommy waited patiently for Eva to change and get ready.

* * *

Eva looked absolutely breathtaking in the strapless dress that Tommy had picked out for her. She was absolutely radiant and the two of them made quite a pair as Tommy had changed into a suit with a tie.

They enjoyed a delicious four-course meal in the beautiful main dining room and even enjoyed some dancing in the lounge. All in all it was a memorable evening that both of them enjoyed—they hadn't had a night out like this since Italy, so it was a nice change of pace.

Eva realized that Tommy had put a lot of thought into this first Valentine's Day—even when she insisted it wasn't a big deal. She also recognized that he was stepping outside of his comfort zone in some way—this world of fancy dinners, dressing up and dancing was not part of everyday life for Tommy. But, after meeting Eva's family and the world she grew up in and was part of—no matter how much she downplayed it—this was still a very large part of who Eva was. And, he was willing to challenge himself and grow because he wanted her to be happy. He would always be the Tommy that she first met and fell in love with, but he wanted to better himself, too.

Swaying slowly to the soft jazz number, Tommy held Eva close to him. He loved this woman with everything he had, and was discovering a part of himself that he never knew existed. Together, they brought out the best of each other. They weren't conventional, but they worked for each other. He was truly happy for once in his life.

* * *

Much later that night, after Eva had thoroughly thanked Tommy for an unforgettable Valentine's Day, they were both lying in a tangle of limbs under the duvet, talking quietly. They really didn't want the night to end.

"So I did good?" Tommy asked, he was sprawled on his stomach, resting his chin against Eva's collarbone and peering up at her. "I know you wanted simple, but this is our first…"

"Everything was perfect, Tommy," she sighed, stretching out her tired limbs.

"I have one last gift for you."

"You're making me feel bad that I didn't get you anything."

"Oh trust me, you've given plenty of gifts to me tonight," Tommy said with a wolfish grin.

Eva nudged him lightly on the shoulder. "I don't mean that, Tommy! Get you mind out of the gutter…"

"I know, I know…" Tommy replied distractedly, running his hands down her naked sides.

"You were saying?" she prompted. "Something about one last present?"

"Right. You mean, this?" he asked...detangling himself from her embrace and walking over to his duffel bag in the closest. He dug around the bag and pulled out a small box.

Eva watched him closely, immensely enjoying the view—he was a looker!

He padded back over to the bed, sitting back down. Eva sat up herself, leaning against the headboard while tucking the duvet under both of her arms.

He handed her the small box, as she subconsciously held her breath.

"Tommy, what is this?" she asked quietly, thumbing the small box in her hands.

"It's not what you think it is," Tommy said quickly, realizing the implication of giving her such a present today. "At least, not yet."

He took the box from her and opened it, showing her the beautiful platinum ring. There was a delicate heart surrounded by two hands and a small crown. She recognized seeing this type of ring before…

"This is a Claddagh ring. It's a traditional Irish ring and it represents friendship, loyalty and love," he explained, taking it out of the box. "I know we've only really been going out for just a few months, but I want you to have this—as a symbol of my friendship, loyalty and love for you."

"It's beautiful…"

He slipped the ring on Eva's right hand, the tip of the heart of the ring pointing towards her wrist. "Wearing it this way means that you're in a relationship."

He leaned down and placed a kiss on the back of her palm.

"Buon San Valentino, Eva," Tommy whispered, crawling back over to Eva and getting under the covers with her.

"You're going to have a tough time beating this next year," Eva said, wrapping her arms around his torso and pulling him flush against her again. "I'm going to have expectations now," she said with a laugh. She was delirious with love and happiness.

"I look forward to meeting and surpassing all your expectations, sweetie," he mumbled against her lips. "Every day, all day…."

"I love you, Tommy. I don't say it enough, but I really do."

"I know. I love you, too."

Their lips met passionately, and there was no more talking that night.

**R&amp;R!**


End file.
